Axiata Group has announced the appointment of Nik Rizal Kamil Nik Ibrahim Kamil as its new Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective 1 June 2026, succeeding Vivek Sood as part of the company’s long-term succession planning strategy.
Leadership transition at Axiata
Nik Rizal will take over from Vivek Sood, who has served the group for nine years in several leadership roles, including Group CEO and Managing Director since 2023 and previously Group Chief Financial Officer. The board expressed appreciation for Vivek’s contributions and expects a smooth leadership transition.
The appointment underscores Axiata’s focus on leadership continuity and the development of internal talent.
Nik Rizal’s experience within Axiata
Nik Rizal joined Axiata in January 2024 as Group Chief Financial Officer and currently sits on the boards of several Axiata operating companies, including CelcomDigi Berhad, PT XLSMART Telecom Sejahtera, Robi Axiata, EDOTCO Group, and PT Link Net.
His promotion reflects his growing role in shaping the group’s financial strategy and investment direction.
Career background and industry expertise
Before joining Axiata, Nik Rizal served as Group CFO of RHB Bank from 2021. Earlier, he was Executive Director of Investments at Khazanah Nasional Berhad, where he led major investment and divestment initiatives and private equity strategies across the telecommunications, media, and technology sector. During this period, he also held board roles at Telekom Malaysia and Astro Malaysia Holdings.
He began his career with Royal Dutch Shell, working across upstream and downstream operations in Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Education and professional credentials Nik Rizal holds an MSc in Finance from London Business School and a BSc in Economics and Accounting from the University of Bristol. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and Business Finance Professional with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.